Did you know that 3 out of 4 people suffer from speech anxiety? That means 75% of the population is terrified of public speaking. Unfortunately for most professionals, this phobia is an unavoidable part of their job.
Forward Science has a team of seasoned presenters that make up the “ Elite Speakers” group. This group is made up of subject matter experts at Forward Science and they each are specifically trained to present at our continuing education courses-- some of these courses lasting up to 4 hours!
To help alleviate the fear of public speaking, we asked our seasoned speaking professionals to create a list of tips and tricks for taking the floor confidently, and here are a few:
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practicing your presentation multiple times is essential to a successful public speaking engagement. The more familiar you are with the content, the more comfortable you will look and feel while presenting. Once you can transition directly into the next slide without looking at it, you are ready to present.
Choose your audience wisely…
To gain different types of feedback, you must practice presenting to different audiences:
Game Day Preparation
On presentation day, here are some tips from the pros:
Don’t be a perfectionist
Don’t make any changes 24 hours or less before your presentation. If you’ve worked on the material and rehearsed, there’s no use in making large changes right before you present-- it will just throw you off!
Dress for success
Always dress nicer than your audience. A more formal appearance will establish credibility and show your audience that this opportunity is meaningful to you.
Know your audience
When creating your presentation, keep the demographics of your audience in mind. What will they want in-depth explanations on? What information is second nature to them? Build your content around your audience to help keep them engaged.
Storytime
Public speaking is nothing more than sharing a story. Rather than listing facts and statistics, frame your presentation as a story. Including anecdotes, jokes and personal experience makes for a more interesting presentation results in a more engaged audience.
Visuals
Is it Question time?
When it comes to questions, set ground rules at the beginning. Make sure your audience knows if you would like to wait until the end of the presentation for questions, or if you’d like to answer them as they come along.
Final tips and tricks
If you are interested in hearing a Forward Science Elite Speaker present one of our hot topics like Sex, Drugs & Oral Cancer™ or The Power of Saliva™, email CE@forwardscience.com and include “Public Speaking Tips” in the subject line
Become A Talent Partner
Talent assessment, acquisition, and development are a journey and we are excited to partner with you. Learn more or schedule time to speak with a member of our talent team.
Become A Talent Partner
Your next great team is just an interview away and we will help you get there. Learn more or schedule time to speak with a member of our talent team.